STRETCH FORMING USING HEATED DIE

The stretch forming process implies stretching and drawing into shape a sheet of material onto a die. This method is used, among other sectors, in the construction of aeroplane fuselage, as significant, complex parts can be obtained in one piece. In essence, stretch forming implies working with materials that have medium to high spring back effects, such as aluminium or magnesium alloys. Different approaches are used in manufacturing due to this phenomenon, ranging from incremental processes to multipoint dies. Another critical aspect of this process is to know how the material behaves under severe plastic deformation, as different alloys require different approaches that vary from step by step forming to in-process chemical treatments to manual pounding the metal sheet. However, all these alloys have in common that, when heated, their machinability properties improve. In this experimental study, a heated die approach was taken into consideration. 6x60 mm 100W heating elements along with temperature sensors were fitted into the die. The USB/OC326009 metal sheet is in direct contact with the die, thus assuring the heat transfer, as the temperatures reach 200 °C. The die temperature is software controlled so that maximum temperature and thermal inertia could be controlled with ease. The data indicate that this method offers significantly improved results compared to a normal room-temperature process

The Quest for Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment—Focusing on Alzheimer’s Disease Personalised Diets

Dementia represents a clinical syndrome characterised by progressive decline in memory, language, visuospatial and executive function, personality, and behaviour, causing loss of abilities to perform instrumental or essential activities of daily living. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which accounts for up to 80% of all dementia cases. Despite that extensive studies regarding the etiology and risk factors have been performed in recent decades, and how the current knowledge about AD pathophysiology significantly improved with the recent advances in science and technology, little is still known about its treatment options. In this controverted context, a nutritional approach could be a promising way to formulate improved AD management strategies and to further analyse possible treatment strategy options based on personalised diets, as Nutritional Psychiatry is currently gaining relevance in neuropsychiatric disease treatment. Based on the current knowledge of AD pathophysiology, as well as based on the repeatedly documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of different functional foods, we aimed to find, describe, and correlate several dietary compounds that could be useful in formulating a nutritional approach in AD management. We performed a screening for relevant studies on the main scientific databases using keywords such as “Alzheimer’s disease”, “dementia”, “treatment”, “medication”, “treatment alternatives”, “vitamin E”, “nutrition”, “selenium”, “Ginkgo biloba”, “antioxidants”, “medicinal plants”, and “traditional medicine” in combinations. Results: nutrients could be a key component in the physiologic and anatomic development of the brain. Several nutrients have been studied in the pursuit of the mechanism triggered by the pathology of AD: vitamin D, fatty acids, selenium, as well as neuroprotective plant extracts (i.e., Ginkgo biloba, Panax ginseng, Curcuma longa), suggesting that the nutritional patterns could modulate the cognitive status and provide neuroprotection. The multifactorial origin of AD development and progression could suggest that nutrition could greatly contribute to the complex pathological picture. The identification of adequate nutritional interventions and the not yet fully understood nutrient activity in AD could be the next steps in finding several innovative treatment options for neurodegenerative disorders